Innholdsfortegnelse for Trail Special 2022 i Canadian Running

We had a lot of snow this winter in Toronto, and for the first time, I ran most of my weekend long runs (and even some of my lunchtime runs while working from home) on the snowy singletrack trails in the Don Valley. What a joy to discover them in winter! They get a lot of use by fat-bike riders, so the snow is well packed, making them more runnable, possibly, than in summer. With the leaves down, the views across the valley are grand (even if they include the Don Valley Parkway). Another plus of winter trail running: you don’t have to worry about ticks. Also, I may be weird, but I’ll take running in sub-freezing temperatures over the heat of summer any day. All of our major cities…

Canadian Running writer wins her first 100-miler overall, sets course record in Oklahoma On Feb. 12, Molly Hurford, 34, of Collingwood, Ont., raced her first 100-miler, the Outlaw 100, in Wilburton, Okla. The race takes place over multiple repeats of a 13-mile and a seven-mile loop that are mostly singletrack, with 4,572 m of elevation gain. Twenty-three hours, 54 minutes and 42 seconds later, Hurford crossed the finish line in first place overall, breaking the previous (men’s) course record set by Forrest Blackbear in 2020 of 27:43:25. It was her first 100-miler, but not her first ultra, or even her first overall win; Hurford won two 50K races outright in 2019 (both in her native New Jersey), and has several other podium finishes. She is also a cyclist, triathlete and…

Trail running poses different challenges than road running; the undulating, unpredictable terrain not only challenges your footing and balance, but also requires more strength and power to ascend hills or to clear obstacles, all while maintaining forward momentum. If you’re used to running the streets, your body will let you know the day after a trail run that you used your running muscles in a new way. A great way to develop strength and improve your power output (which require more than just running) is to combine a weighted strength exercise with an unweighted explosive exercise. This technique targets your fast-twitch muscle fibres, which are important for developing force quickly, and improves your body’s ability to absorb and use elastic energy. This will make you feel lighter and more agile…

So you’ve heard the siren song of ultra racing and you want the reward of training and racing hard, but you’re not ready for the time commitment demanded by a solo ultra? Ultratrail relay races range from 50K to 200 miles (322 km) or more, so consider that a single leg of a relay could be just as rewarding as the full solo experience (while demanding less of a training commitment). As Brian Gallant, director of Alberta’s Sinister 7 Sports, says, “Everyone has to start somewhere. If you are looking to get into trail running, or to try an ultra, but you aren’t sure about your abilities, a relay team is a great place to start.” Here’s how to put your team together and make your ultra relay truly memorable.…

While the pandemic has made international travel challenging, let us hope we can soon not only fantasize about an exotic trail-running vacation, but actually plan one. For those not averse to testing their mettle in unfamiliar surroundings, the simple, unfettered act of moving swiftly with light gear across rugged terrain has an almost primitive allure. Here are seven spectacular places where you can turn your trail-running hobby into the travel holiday of a lifetime. Make sure to check the latest updates online right up until your day of travel and that you have insurance for cancellations, quarantines and delays. For Canadian government travel advisories, consult travel.gc.ca/travel-covid. Mont Blanc Chamonix, France It’s the tallest mountain in western Europe, the birthplace of modern mountaineering and home to one of the most iconic…

Editor Anne Francis anne@runningmagazine.ca Senior Editors Alex Hutchinson, Kevin Mackinnon Contributing Editor Christopher Kelsall Staff Writers Marley Dickinson, Brittany Hambleton, Madeleine Kelly Photo Editor Matt Stetson matt.stetson@gripped.com Copy Editor Amy Stupavsky Art Director Warren Wheeler (Roseander Main) layout@runningmagazine.ca Production Artist Warren Hardy Web Development Sean Rasmussen Digital Operations Dmitry Beniaminov Publisher Sam Cohen sam@gripped.com Editorial Director David Smart dave@gripped.com Advertising & Sales Andre Cheuk andre@gripped.com Account Managers Joel Vosburg joel@gripped.com Lorena Jones lorena@gripped.com Circulation Manager Robyn Milburn robyn@gripped.com Social Media Nikita van Dijk nikita@gripped.com SUBSCRIBE Send $22.95 (1 year) or $39.95 (2 years) to Canadian Running Magazine PO Box 819 Station Main, Markham, ON, Canada L3P 8L3 or call: 1.800.567.0444 SUBMIT Manuscripts, photographs and other correspondence are welcome. Please contact Canadian Running magazine for contributors’ guidelines, or see them on…

What is risk? Risk is an external event that may or may not happen. A risk is not inherently good or bad. Risks can result in negative consequences, but they can also create opportunities for personal growth and learning. Some risks are objective, where everyone faces the same risk, such as weather or terrain. Other risks are subjective, like lacking adequate gear, becoming dehydrated or overestimating your abilities. Many risks can be prevented or their negative impacts minimized with the right preparation, gear, training, experience and self-awareness. What is “risky?” Nothing is without risk, but outdoor pursuits like trail running pose an added level of risk. Getting lost, being exposed to the elements, insect or animal attacks or getting injured on a trail can have serious consequences and can even…

Pasta has always been the glorified carbohydrate, but the simple potato—in any form—is also easy to digest and full of vitamins and minerals. Potatoes’ high glycemic index make them a go-to food for ultramarathoners in particular (just make sure to remove the skins to avoid any unnecessary fibre, which could have undesirable consequences on the trail!). Boiling potatoes is a simple cooking method that is likely to sit well in most athletes’ stomachs, but these recipes are geared more toward the night before a race or big workout, or to replenish glycogen stores post-race/workout. The Best-Ever Golden Potatoes are melt-in-your-mouth delicious, especially when paired with salmon or steak. Loaded Hasselback Potatoes take a classic loaded baked potato to the next level, with each thinly sliced section tasting like crispy potato…

ALEX HUTCHINSON ROUNDS UP THE LATEST IN ENDURANCE RESEARCH On a run through the forests of southern New Zealand a decade ago, I caught my toe on a rock. I was just cresting a small hill, which meant that I got some serious airtime as I flew Superman-style down the far slope. I landed hard, tried to get up, and promptly passed out. My wife frequently reminds me of my first words when I came to: “I think I peed my pants!” (I hadn’t, just for the record.) I still have a scar on my chin from the fall—a reminder that, for trail runners, running injuries aren’t just the usual shin splints and sore knees. According to a systematic review published earlier this year, for every 1,000 hours you spend…

Mount Royal, MONTREAL This Montreal landmark is a hotbed of urban trail running. Mount Royal has three peaks that can easily be accessed via the STM public transit system (buses 11, 165 and 80 all stop in the park). While there are many trails to choose from, a noteworthy loop starts at Monument Sir George-Étienne Cartier (right off of Avenue du Parc) and combines Chemin Olmsted with the Boucle du Sommet for a 10-km run that boasts close to 200 m of elevation gain and lots of pretty views of the city. Many side trails run along the hard-packed dirt road, with rocks and roots increasing the technicality of the run. You can lengthen your route by running through Mount Royal Cemetery and along the Chemin de Ceinture toward the…

Saucony Peregrine 12 MEN’S: 275 g (9.7 oz.) WOMEN’S: 235 g (8.3 oz.) DROP: 4 mm STACK HEIGHT: 26.5 mm LUG HEIGHT: 5 mm $160 The Peregrine has been a very popular and reliable shoe for a long time, and with good reason: it’s light, responsive, protective and well cushioned—everything you want in a trail shoe (as long as you’re comfortable with a low drop). The 12 has a number of subtle enhancements that make it even better: first, it’s 34 g lighter. The brand has achieved this partly by trimming the tiniest sliver of PWRRUN foam out of the midsole—just enough to improve the shoe’s ground feel. The outsole lugs have been made more aggressive to dig right into wet, slippery terrain, with the protective rock plate visible through…

Most ultrarunners’ bucket lists include the elusive trails at Hardrock 100, the Western States Endurance Run (WSER) and/or the iconic Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB). But navigating the qualification/registration processes can be intimidating. This explainer will help you figure out how to turn those big dreams into reality. Western States Endurance Run June 24–25, 2023 Boasting the title of the world’s oldest 100-mile race, Western States begins in Olympic Valley, Calif., and finishes in the town of Auburn. The race’s website calls it “one of the ultimate endurance tests in the world” and that isn’t an exaggeration—athletes enter the lottery year after year, hoping for their chance to join in the beautiful sufferfest. WSER has recently made some changes to its lottery system. How it works To enter the lottery for…

There is no shortage of engineered, endurance-specific nutrition products. But visit any aid station at a trail race or ultra and you’ll find a buffet of chips, pretzels, chocolate bars, cookies, candy and other foods critical to supplying the calories necessary to maintain energy levels, in addition to sports drinks, gels, soups and stews. But is it OK to throw conventional dietary rules out the window when fuelling for a trail race or ultra? Going the distance Fuelling yourself for an adventure on the trails is slightly different from fuelling for miles on the road. The rugged terrain and hilly trails mean you’re moving at a slower pace than you would on the road; you might even be stopping to walk across a log over a creek or power-hiking up…

She’d done her job. Since 2019, Marianne Hogan, one of Canada’s best ultratrail runners, had committed to being a guide for Canadian Para triathlete Jessica Tuomela. Instead of the 100+ km events that are her forte, Hogan had to limit her run training to be at her best over a triathlon sprint distance—a 750 m swim, 20 km bike and 5 km run. Itching to get back to her true passion, during the last few weeks before the Paralympic triathlon event in Tokyo, Hogan signed up for Ultra-Trail Harricana of Canada, a 125-km adventure with 4,220 m of elevation gain held at the Mont Grand-Fonds ski resort in La Malbaie, Que. So, once she and Tuomela had finished the race in Tokyo and returned to the athlete village, Hogan reached…

When moving from Ireland to Canmore in September 2020, I knew nobody here. I hadn’t so much as Googled Alberta before coming. In 2020, “operation emigration” was my partner, Karolína’s, after-work passion project. After office hours, I was writing my debut memoir about running a 1,500-kilometre lap of Ireland. Once we arrived here, wow—was I in for a surprise! Driving through the emerald prairies west of Calgary, I gazed in awe at the sawtooth Rockies piercing the horizon. Running’s always been my sport, sprinting for Ireland as a teenager and running marathons and ultras in my 20s. I hoped running might help me find friends to explore the Canadian wilderness without fear of being gobbled by a grizzly. Searching “running groups Canmore,” I was in luck, discovering Canmore Trail Culture,…